With the sale of the Chicago Cubs finalized, the Ricketts family are officially the newest owners of a major league team. In doing so, they made history; while older brother Tom is the leading face of the ownership group, he shares equity with his three siblings and their parents. His sister Laura becomes the first openly gay owner in a professional sports league.

Funny, I always thought it’d be a WNBA owner first…

“I think for a long time I wasn’t really out to myself growing up in Omaha, Neb., to a Catholic conservative family,” Laura Ricketts said. “It took me a while to come out to myself and not long after that I came out to them. I think that it really couldn’t of been a better experience. They were all immediately supportive.

… I have been really really fortunate in that regard.”

I can only hope that this first step inspires or encourages the first active openly out player; it’s embarrassing how homosexuality is treated within sports and it is shameful and it’s time to change.